Ashlie Shepards story Season 3
by Grunt Lord Ryan
Summary: Fallows along the Third Game in the trilogy. Shepard works her way through the Reaper Galactic War fighting for love, family, friends, and all the Galaxy.


**The Crucible's Activation**

We hoop out of the Truck looking around to see if area is clear. The front of the truck is on fire. The rest of the squad gets out as we see Harbenger land on the other side of the lift.

Anderson, "We need to move!"

Shepard, "come on!"

We jump the small 6 foot cliff and land next to some mako's and soldiers. We start to run when Harbenger blasts the mako to our left sending derbies into the air falling around us. We continue to run down the hill as the Mako to our right is hit. I drop and crouch behind some derbies while Liara and Garrus jump behind the burning mako. Harbenger turns to shoot at something to our left behind a part of a destroyed building.

Shepard, "Liara use the targeting laser and call in a strike from the Normandy."

Liara, "but Shepard..."

Shepard, "no buts just do it."

Harbenger shoots across the hill hitting a mix of species soldiers running for the lift. Lira contacts the Normandy.

Liara, "jokers five minutes out, he won't make it in time Shepard!"

Shepard look's over to Liara, "Then I'll have to buy you some time."

Shepard yells at some other soldier's hiding behind cover to charge when he does. As this is going on another mako that got closer to the lift firing at Harbenger gets hit.

Liara, "Joker will be here in a minute!"

Shepard." Shepard, "Thanks and I love you Liara."

_Looks like I can't keep the promise to you. _

Shepard runs out towards the lift while Liara and Garrus are targeting. Other soldiers run as well at full speed as fast as they could. Harbenger turns and starts to fire across the hill hitting men and sending up derbies. A gun ship fly's in shooting when it is suddenly hit by Harbenger. Harbenger continues to fire across the hill. As Shepard nears the lift Harbenger sends a shot right at her. She puts up her hand as if to block blinding light...

Officer, "good their all gone."

Shepard start's to open her eyes to the light of the lift.

Female soldier, "Did anyone make it in?"

Officer, "Negative all the forces are decimated."

Harbenger starts to lift into the air after the Normandy. Shepard slowly gets up clutching her side from the pain.

Officer, "it's too much we need to regroup!"

One of the injured soldiers is crawling towards Shepard but collapses and stops moving. To the right some human husks come around running. She aims the pistol and shoots a few rounds in to each having the last one fall near her feet. She continues to walk forward...

Liara, "Shepard, Shepard can you hear me?"

... She trips over one of the husks arms and slowly gets back up. She continues to head for the Lift as a Turian husk jumps up from behind part of the shot down gunship shooting. Shepard aims and shoots three shots to its head. It collapsed as Shepard reloaded. Continuing to the Lift she stumbles but stays upright. She starts to move a little faster as she nears the lift. She steps into the lift and is sent through.

Shepard Land's in a hall filled with Dead bodies and pools of blood. As she gets up she sees a Keeper at one of its terminals.

Anderson, "Shepard?"

She starts to get up of the floor.

Anderson, "Shepard?"

Shepard, "Anderson! You're up here too?"

Anderson, "fallowed you up but we didn't come out the same place, oh, at least I don't think we did."

Shepard, "I feel like death but I'm moving. It's dark but I'm surrounded by human remains though!"

Anderson "Sounds familiar. I'm in a dark hallway that reminds me of your description of the collector base."

Shepard walks forward and grabs a pistol off the ground.

Shepard "makes sense."

Anderson, "you think their making a reaper in here."

Shepard picks up a pistol and starts to head down hall.

Shepard, "sure, they round them up on earth and send them up here to be processed."

Anderson, "god dam abomination. Ahh-hu! I'm going to keep moving. The sooner we blow those bastereds to hell the better!"

Shepard moves further down the hall.

Anderson, "the tubes don't go on forever. But where the hell are we."

Shepard, "yaw doesn't look like any part of the citadel I've been to."

Anderson, "Wow!"

Shepard, "Anderson!"

Anderson, "one of the wall's here just relined itself. The place is shifting, changing. There's a chasm here and more hallways like the one I was in."

A door opens in the wall ahead of Shepard.

Shepard, "I think I'm near an exit."

Anderson, "I think I see something up ahead. Might be a way to cross over."

Shepard, "Don't get too far ahead of me!"

Shepard starts to cross a small bridge.

Anderson, "where do you think you are at?"

Shepard, "just found that chasm you were talking about."

Anderson, "hold on I see something! Maybe a control panel. Just let me go...on ahead..."

Shepard starts to head up a ramp.

Shepard, "Anderson! Dam it!"

As she reached the top of the ramp she could see Anderson at a Terminal.

She tries to get a better look, "Anderson?"

He turns around unsteadily.

Anderson, "Shepard I can't!"

Shepard hears some footsteps behind her then could not move a muscle.

Illusive Man, "I have underestimated you Shepard."

Shepard, "what..."

Illusive Man, "I've warned you! Control is the means to survival. Control of the reapers and of you if necessary."

Anderson, "err! They are controlling you."

The illusive man turns around to face both Shepard and Anderson.

Illusive Man, "I don't think so."

Shepard, "Controlling me is a lot different then controlling a reaper."

The illusive man raises a hand to his chin, "has a little faith in me. When humanity discovered the mass relay, when we learned that there was more to the galaxy then we could only imagine. Some thought the relays should be destroyed, they were scared of what we could find, terrified of what we might let in. but look at what humanity has achieved. since that discovery we have advanced more than the last 10,000 years combined, and the reapers can do the same for us again a thousand fulled,but."

The pounding in Shepard's head increases from whatever the illusive man is doing. She slowly unwillingly raises her gun pointing at Anderson.

Illusive Man, "Only if we could harness their ability to control."

Anderson, "bullshit, we destroy them or they destroy us!"

The Illusive Man, "And Waist this opportunity, Never!"

Shepard, "you're playing with thing's you don't understand, with power that you shouldn't be able to use."

Illusive Man, "If we can Control it. Why shouldn't it be ours?"

Shepard, "because we aren't ready."

Illusive Man, "No! This is the way humanity must evolve."

Anderson, "there's always another way."

Illusive Man, "I've dedicated my entire life to understanding the reapers, and I know with certainty the Crucible will allow me to Control them."

Shepard, "Then what?"

Illusive Man Raises his hand up, "Look at this power they can wield, Look at what they can do!"

Shepard pull's the trigger even though she is resisting shooting Anderson in the stomach.

Shepard, "I see what they did to you!"

Illusive man, "I took what I wanted from them, and made it my own. This isn't about me or you; this is about thing's so much greater then all of us!"

The Illusive man paces around the platform.

Anderson, "He's wrong, don't listen to him."

Illusive man, "and who would you listen to Shepard. An old man stuck with his ways only able to see the world down the barrel of a gun, and what if he's wrong. What if controlling the reapers is the answer."

Shepard, "If we destroy the Reaper's this ends today, but if you can't control them!"

Illusive Man, "But I can!"

Shepard, "are you willing to bet humanity's existence on it?"

The illusive man started to shake his hands and head violently.

Illusive man, "I know it will work!"

Shepard, "you can't can you! They won't let you do it"

Illusive man point's a finger, "No I'm in control! No one is telling me what to do!"

Anderson, "listen to yourself! You're indoctrinated."

Illusive Man, "No, no the two of you so self-riches do you think comes this easy, there are sacrifices!"

Shepard, "you've sacrificed too much."

The illusive man starts pacing again, "I only wanted to protect humanity, the crucible can give me control I know it can, I just!"

Shepard, "it's not too late, Let us go we'll do the rest."

Illusive pan put's his hand over his face, "I... I can't do that commander."

Anderson, "of course you can't they own you now."

The Illusive man grabs Anderson's gun.

Illusive Man, "you, you'd undo everything I have accomplished. I won't let that happen!"

Shepard, "because of you. Humanity is already undone."

The Illusive man shacks his hands again, "that's not true..."

Shepard, "They have the Citadel. They've got us fighting each other instead of fighting them!"

The illusive man looks off the platform with his back to Shepard.

Illusive man, "I just need to..."

Shepard, "you've done exactly what the reapers wanted. You're still doing it because they control you."

Illusive Man, "I... they're too strong."

Shepard, "you're stronger. Don't let them win, Break their hold. Don't let them Control you."

The Illusive man turns to face you, "I tried Shepard."

Taking a few steps back he put the gun to his head shooting himself and collapses to the floor.

Shepard walks over to the terminal and opens up the Citadel allowing the Crucible to attach itself. Shepard walks over to Anderson and sits down next to Anderson who has moved into a sitting position.

Anderson, "Commander."

Shepard, "We did it."

Anderson, "Yes we did. It's quiet a view."

Shepard Coffs, "Best seats in the house."

Anderson, "god it has felt like years since I had just sat down."

Shepard, "I think you've earned a rest, Anderson?"

Anderson mumbles.

Shepard, "stay with me we're almost through this."

Anderson, "you did good Child, you did good. I'm Proud of you."

Shepard, "thank you sir."

She looks over, "Anderson!"

Shepard looks down at her blood covered hand that was covering her side wound.

Admiral Hackett, "Shepard, Commander!"

Shepard, "what do you need me to do?"

Admiral Hackett, "Nothing's happening. The Crucible's not firing."

She tries to get back up but falls to the floor.

Admiral Hackett, "it's got to be something on your end."

Shepard starts to crawl to the terminal.

Admiral Hackett, "Commander Shepard!"

Shepard reaches for the Terminal.

Shepard, "I don't see-I'm not sure how to..."

She collapses to the floor again.

Admiral Hackett, "Commander!"

A section of the platform begins to rise from the ground with Shepard on it.

Shepard starts to get up and can see ships fighting reapers and a beam that is part of the device in front of her.

Child, "Why are you here."

Shepard, "What where am I?"

Child, "The Citadel, it's my home!"

Shepard, "Who are you?"

Child, "I am the Catalyst."

Shepard, "I thought the citadel was the Catalyst."

Child, "no the Citadel is part of me."

_Why is this Childs voice so calm and soothing?_

Shepard, "I need to stop the reapers, do you know how I can do that?"

Child, "The reapers are mine, I control them. They are my solution."

_This child control's them can't trust him._ We walk towards the beam as ships are blown apart.

Shepard, "Solution, to what?"

Child, "chaos! You bring it on your selves. The created will always rebel against their creators, but we found a way to stop that from happening. A way to restore order for the next cycle."

Shepard, "by wiping out organic life!"

_This kid is crazy but his voice is so soothing._

Child, "no we harvest the advanced civilizations leaving the younger ones alone. Just as we left your people alive the last time we were here."

Shepard, "but you killed the rest."

Child, "we helped them ascend so we could make way for new life, storing the old life in reaper form."

Shepard looks at the closest Reaper, "I think we like our own form."

Child, "no you can't! Without us to stop it, synthetic would destroy all organics. We created the cycle to that never happens, that's the solution."

_You are wrong kid we made peace with the geth just during this war. _

Shepard, "but you are taking away our future. Without a future we would have no hope, without hope we may as well be machines. Programed to do what we are told."

Child, "you don't need hope; the fact that you are the first organic standing here proves it. But it also proves that my solution won't work anymore."

Shepard, "so now what?"

Child, "That depends on you."

Shepard, "what do you mean?"

Child, "the crucible changed me, created new possibilities. But I can't make them happen, and I won't."

Shepard, "make what happen?"

Child, "what you came here to do. You want to destroy us; you can wipe out all synthetic life if you want. Even you are partly synthetic."

Shepard, "but the reapers will be destroyed."

Child, "yes but the peace won't last. Soon your children will create synthetics and the chaos will come back."

Shepard, "maybe."

Child, "or do you think you can control us?"

Shepard laughs, "So the Illusive man was right after all."

Child, "yes, but he could never have taken control because we had already controlled him."

Shepard, "but I can?"

Child, "you will die, you will control us but you would lose everything you have."

Shepard, "but the reapers will obey me?"

Child, "yes, there is another solution."

Shepard, "yah."

Child, "synthesis!"

Shepard, "and that is?"

Child, "add your energy to the crucibles. Everything you are would be absorbed and then sent out; the chain reaction will combine all synthetic and organic life into a new frame work... a new DNA."

_Sounds more like turning them into husks instead._

Shepard, "I don't know?"

Child, "why not synthetics are already apart of you. Can you imagine your life without them?"

Shepard, "and there would be peace?"

Child, "the cycle will end. Synthesis is the final evolution of life but we need each other to make it happen. You have a difficult decision, releasing the energy of the crucible will end the cycle but it would also destroy the mass relays. The paths are open but you have to choose."

_That's crazy destroying the relays would wipe out every system that they reside in. what should I chose_...

Liara, "Shepard please comes back!"...

I look around for Liara she is not there. I turn to the kid.

Shepard, "do you know that the destruction of the relay means the destruction of the systems they are in."

Child, "of course I have known."

Shepard, "then how can I choose any if lead to the reapers winning in some way."

She looks down at her gun then to the child.

Shepard, "you're afraid aren't you? We are actually winning and you're afraid."

Child turns from blue to Red yellow, "we do not know fear..."

Shepard, "of course you know fear look at you now!" she aims at the Childs head.

Child, "you do not know what you are doing Shepard!"

The child's voice is slowly changing into Harbingers voice.

Shepard, "we will win this!"

She fire's a few rounds. The child's form shifts when hit and forms into the red yellow Harbinger hologram.

Harbenger, "we will destroy every last one of you for your insolence."

The world starts to go black around Shepard...

Liara, "Shepard please come back I can't lose you again please!"

Shepard slowly opens her eyes.

Medic, "we are losing her we need to get her medigel now or she won't make it past the next ten minutes."

Shepard can see the blossoming trees of the Council chambers. Liara having her lean against her with her head in her hands. Garrus to the side with his gun at the ready along with a medic crouching by her side. More sound started to reach her ears gunfire from down towards the chambers entrance. Shepard looks back at Liara.

Shepard, "I always keep my promises Liara. I'll always be with you."

She Coffs from the use of her voice.  
>Liara, "Shepard! Thank goodness."<p>

Tears that are running down her face start to drip on to Shepard. Shepard try's to move but he pain is too great making her moan and bring some tears to her eyes. She looks back down at her body and see's burns, melted armor and lots of blood.

Shepard, "what happened?"

Liara, "your distraction bought us enough time to finish targeting and get the Normandy to attack Harbenger."

Garrus, "to bad the attack did not even scratch it, but it did go fallow the Normandy back into the space combat."

Shepard, "how did we get here, and how's Anderson?"

Liara, "Andersons Alive just woke up a bit ago but he looks worse than you. And for how we got here we used the lift and it took use to the small relay down in the Presidium. We had to fight our way up here with some assistance from Csec and the Militia. Garrus carried you all the way here."

Garrus, "and you sure are heavy!"

Shepard, "yah laugh it up.

Liara, "Edi is opening the citadel right now for the Crucible to dock."

Shepard, "what's going on over at the Entrance?"

Garrus, "a few squads are holding off waves of husks that keep hitting us."

Edi, "The Crucible is connected and ready to fire."

Admiral Hackett, "This is Hackett the Crucible is ready to fire! All hands brace yourselves."

The crucible begins to Glow and forms an orb of some type of energy that continues to grow in size many of the reapers and ships begin to break off combat. A few reapers start to head for the relay while the rest head for the citadel with Harbenger in the lead. As they near they prepare to fire but it's too late. The energy is released and it sends a wave our passing through ships and reapers. The reapers stop dead in their tracks and start to drift while the other ships were unaffected. A few reapers got through the relay before the energy wave passed through it.

Shepard and Liara look up as the wave travels through the citadel hitting husks and people alike. The husks stopped dead in their tracks.

Liara, "looks like it's over."

Shepard, "yah your right it looks like it's over."

Cheers start up as more people relies what just happened. Ships start to bombard the reapers breaking them apart with their shields down and unable to fight back.

Liara, "looks like it's time to get you to the hospital."

Shepard, "I think that's a good idea."

They smile at each other as the cheers grow ever higher.

This Is the end of the Video game series and the end of the third season of my fan fiction. Was made while still working on first season only so the story was fresh in my mind don't forget to read my Other seasons and story's.


End file.
